It appears the Jhon Duran deal is dead in the water. Fitting, as the very next match for West Ham United will transpire in a place called Tampa Bay, at a stadium that actually has a giant pirate ship in it. Last week saw Aston Villa reject the Hammers’ offer of just under £40 million for the Colombian striker, and according to reports, the East London outfit will not return with an increased bid.
Villa were/still are keen to sell the former Chicago Fire FC forward to Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal, but the youngster rejected the move.
West Ham United vs Crystal Palace FYIs
Kickoff: Sat. Aug 3, 2024, 7pm EST Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL, USA
Competition: club friendly, branded “The Sunshine State Tour”
Exploring the Pirate Ship Inside the Stadium Where this Match Will Be Played: here
West Ham Preview Material: Team News Transfer Talk Starting XI Prediction
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
According to football insider Fabrizio Romano, Duran only wishes to move to West Ham. Personal terms were agreed upon long ago, but the two sides just cannot hammer (pun intended) out a price, so the Irons are moving on.
And it’s Niclas Fullkrug, of Borussia Dortmund that they’re moving on to. According to Sky Sports, WHUFC and BVB are close to reaching an agreement for the transfer of the 31-year-old striker.
Dharmesh Sheth writes that “Final details on the deal are being sorted between the clubs, notably on the structure of the fee.
“Elements of the player’s personal terms are also being finalised.”
It will be interesting to see how fast WHU can get the deal for the German over the line. And the fallback options/contingency plans in the final third do not stop there. West Ham are looking to further reinforce the attack by adding Leeds United winger Crysencio Summerville.
According to the BBC “talks are at an advanced stage and personal terms with the 22-year-old are not expected to be a problem.”
Wow, maybe they’ll add the Dutchman, who won Championship Player of the Year last season, to the attacking third as well. Looks like Julen Lopetegui’s side are really making moves in the the transfer market this week.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.